Opiate Addiction

Facts About Opiate Addiction

According to the National Institute for Drug Abuse, there are more than 1 million opiate addicts in the United States and that number is rising. Some of the reasons include the large number of Americans, from baby boomers to the elderly, who are getting hooked on pain medication for chronic pain.

Oxycontin, a potent painkiller that health authorities say is increasingly abused, is also playing a role. Overall use of the drug rose by 140% last year, according to a recent federal survey on drug use.

Popular alternative treatment methods, such as methadone clinics, have significant drawbacks. For one, the number of Americans seeking methadone treatment far exceeds the number of openings at government-approved treatment clinics. As a result, most clinics have long waiting lists. What's more, methadone takes nearly a month to clear the addict's system, compared with a week to 10 days for other opiates, including heroin.

Times Have Changed

Traditionally, opiate dependency has been treated as a psychological disorder. However, times have changed. Recognizing opiate dependency as a reversible medical disorder was the first step in developing effective treatments. The medical community is realizing that opiate dependency is a central nervous system disorder caused by continuous opiate intake.

After prolonged opiate use, the nerve cells in the brain, which would otherwise produce endogenous opiates (natural painkillers, or endorphins), cease to function normally. The body stops producing endorphins because it is receiving opiates instead. The degeneration of these nerve cells results in the user's physical dependency to an external supply of opiates. Abrupt or sudden abstinence from opiates induces yet another traumatic disorder - withdrawal syndrome.

Opiate Withdrawal

The withdrawal syndrome is a long and painful process, which can result in permanent damage to the cardiopulmonary system and the central nervous system. Untreated and unmonitored, it can result in death for unhealthy patients. For these reasons, opiate dependency treatment requires appropriate and responsible medical care.